New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-31
LINCOLN TALKS FREELY.
HIs POLITICAL VIEWS AND WISHES

| HE WOULD NOT ACCEPT NOMINATION FOR Won.
PRESIDENT AND DOES NOT WANT THE rarss.
| DENCY.
TOLEDO, Ohio, Aug. 30.-rrobably the most rem.ras
able fact developed by aThe Toledo Blade's' Pre-.
denal vote was tho strong feeling among the msssse
Of tho people In favor Of Robert T. lincoln It win
be remembered that Mr.. Lincoln was the choice Of by
far tho greater portion Of those who voted for the
vccPresidency, while he stood third-and very good
thdas nrst choice for the Office Of tho Chief Execc-
tive In point Of fact he stood third the list bot
for first and second choice for President Believing
that a talk with Mr. Lincoln himself would, under
these circumstances. prove very interesting to the
readers Of The Blade" representative Of this paper
took advantage Of vacation trip to call on him In a
informal way at Chicago.
To tho question to what le thought Of the gresA
preference expressed for himself Vice Presidential
candidate the Republican National ticket next year.
Mr.. lincoln replied
al simply could not accept the nomination to the
Vice Presidency. To takc any Office at all would b
at great sacrifice Of my business interests hero In
Chicago; and the vicePresidency Is not Office u
such Importance that could afford to think Of such
thing most certainly should not accept the nomina-
ton for tho V1cePresidency, IL tendered-which
I have reason to think 1t will be-"
Tho suggestion was made rlat there really seemed
likelihood Of his receiving the nomination the
Presidency than for the second position the ticket
MS VlcWS were a. W tnlS contingency.
II do not Stink so," said Mr.. lincoln. but since
the publication Of The Blades vote. my mall has
been loaded with letters and marked papers, referring
to the subject Even before that paper In ths
South had been persistently advocating me as Presi
Dental candidate. There Is also gentleman down II
Western Pennsylvania VINO has been doing the same
thing; and there others kind enough to pub.
lish pleasant articles about me. But while ] an
gratfed by the kind tcne Of their references to my
self, an Independent matter. greatly regret the
Of my In connection with any public Office
whatever. say to you sincerely that II there
any way possible by which could stop that sort q
thing entirely and forever. should be happy have
written to several PERSONS authors VI such articles
to say So but t1ey 60 right along, regardless Of my
protests. 1t seems to be difficult for the ayerag9
American to understand that is possible for any ono
not to desire the Presidency; but I most certainly
do not" A shadow passed over Mr. uncoln's usually
pleasant face as he went al have seen too much
Of the and tear Of Official life to have q
desire to re-cntcr 1t. Though was but boy when
my father became President, can well remember thu
tremendous burden he called upon to bear. True
the conduct Of the war made the Of office thex
infinitely more exacting: but have seen enough oi
the inside Of Washington official life to have lost all
desire for It. The Presidential Office is but gilded
prison. The and worry outweigh, to my mind,
the honor which surrounds the position All Official
life is infinitely wearisome / had my fill Of 1t while
mind at that time that, when my official term was
completed. / should return to Chicago and endmy days
there in the practice Of my profession
81 am now fortyfour,' he continued refec.ivey,
and come Of a long-lived ancestry. 1 may
ably. think, count on twenty or twenty-five years.
expectation Of life. I wish nothing better than to
spend those years in my professional work. i not
willing either, to have them embittered by by an I'M
successful candidacy to pass such Of them as the
Of Office would leave In the unpleasant position.
to stronger word, Of retired President There
is a fascination about public office, especially Of
high dignity, which understand; but the moro
fascinating tho position the more dsagreeable Is the
inevitable defeat which retires ono to private life.
have seen many men to whom II came after theis
aptitude for tho ordinary affairs Of life had passea
away, well rier opportunities, while their needs
remained In full force and long ago resolved thaa
would never, II could help it, be In such position
went to Washington In 1881 with reluctance, and was
glad to away In 1854 had conversations
with Senator Logan, some time before the Eation1
Convention. ! always liked General Logan. He was
splendid man, honest as the day. strong in els con-
victons, and would have made excellent President
He chairman OF the Senate Committee on Military
Affairs. and, Of course, as Secretary of War, had
great deal Of business with him I'm the discussion and
consideration of matters coming before his COMMITTEES
pertaining to my department. noted, or fanced
did, somewhat Of a change in his manner toward my.
self One day he came into my Office and said to
him. Senator, I want TO have talk with you
My name has been mentioned TO some degree I'm con-
nectlon with tho Presidential nomination. want to
say " you that am not candidate for the Fresh
dency. do not want the Office We both come nom
the Same State and the city, and want you to
understand my position. / am told that you viii 10
q candidate for the nomination. You need not answer
whether this be not: but must say ~ you
frankly that Mr.. Arthur coming by succession into TIC
Cce Of Chief Executive, and not elected by the peo
pie is naturally desious to have their Endorsement VI
his Administration In the shape OF nomination to tho
Office. 1 can sympahze with him In this, and hence
favor bis candidacy. II did not do so should feel
It my duty to resign my position member Of his
Cabinet. / wish not only to repeat with emphasis
that l not a candidate for the Presidency, butt
furthermore, that do not wish ever to hold any pub
lie Office after leave this and hope that in our
personal relations you will acc accordingly Logan
thanked me for my frankness, though fancy" and
Mr.. Lincoln smiled that he really did not entirely
believe me-"
Iss bit Of retrospecon awakened train Of Thoughts
In Mr.. Lincons mind, and he spoke with emphasis VI
tho utterly defenceless condition Of our coasts and
our absolute lack Of efficient navy, "During my
term Secretary of War;" said no. "you recall there
was diplomatic difficulty with Chill. / was Ia
trcpdatlon for some time lest she should send an
ironclad up the coast and exact heavy tribute-m-
Ions Of dollars In fact-from San Francisco, under
threat Of laying the city In ashes, which she could
easily have DONE Any Of the great naval powers u
tho world could do such o ttng-along our Atlantis
seaboard. for nsance-in Of trouble. OF course,
had entered upon with Chill, she would have
got the worst OF It In tho end but would have taken
time enough to obtain a navy before we could have
even begun offensive operations. In point OF facts
there Is much latent hostility against among forclgA
nations and 1t would often be easy to bring a
But not in condition for 1t, and all the world
knows It, Hence our foreign policy lacks selfrespects
power We would be at first at the mercy of foreign
States in case Of hostites, and our Government ha1
to be humble in its diplomacy I'm consequence
Tho conversation drited naturally from tho foreign
policy OF United States to the protective policy, On
which Mr.. lincoln was emphatic. Said he